Machine for setting up and folding cartons



D. M. BERNOTOW.

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CARTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, I919.

Patented May 17 ,1921. 7SHEETS-SHEET I.

RQ RQ R I) M. BERNOTOW. iv MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CARTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, I919.

. W Z 2. E H W /W ML x. an 6 m w fi M? M m j m. P I

IIIII km I mm I \L N m I Q D. M. BERNOTO'W.

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CARTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE23, 1919.

1,378,580. I PatentedMay 17, 1921.

7 SHEETS--SHEET 3- N I fi azuwx m H D M. BERNOTOW.

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CARTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1919- 7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented May 17, 1921.

D. M. BERNOTOW.

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CARTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23,1919

1921. 1 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Patented May 17 Q D. M. BERNOTOW. MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDI APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 19

N6 CARTCNS.

19. May 17, 1921. HEETS-SHEET 6- m m w w 0 w v 8 Z I m V %u 1 1 D. M. BERNOTOW.

' MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CA RTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1919.

1,378,580. P ten ed May 17, 1921.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..-

DOMINIK M. BERNOTOW. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO BUNTE BROTHERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS.

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP AND FOLDING CARTONS.

Application filed June 23,

T 0 (12K -1 0 ho m, it may concern Be it known that I, DOMINIK M. BER-No- Tow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Setting Up and Folding Cartons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for setting up cartons, pasteboard boxes, and the like, and in the instance illustrated in the drawings is adapted to set up cartons of the size and shape commonly employed for dispensing cough drops, hard candies, pastils, gum and similar goods.

The general object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of receiving cartons in a magazine or hopper and delivering them one at a time to a mechanism which automatically and in a posi tive manner squares the cartons, infolds the side flaps and end flaps thereof, and fiually ejects the carton 'from the machine. The present machine belongs to the same class as the one shown in copending application filed July 12, 1918. Serial No. 241.5?8. The general object is accom plished by a number of combinations and subcombinations of cooperating elements which will be describedin detail. As a brief preliminary statement may facilitate an ululerstanding of the principle of the invention. it may be stated that in the form shown in the accompanying drawings, the flat cartons are first piled by the operator in a suitable magazine or hopper. This is open atthe bottom and at suitable intervals a slide at the bottom of the magazine transfers the carton at the bottom of the pile onto an operating table. Thereupon the rear'end flap of the carton is engaged by a finger which descends upon it and holds the carton in position. The carton is then squared by positive acting mechanism which includes two thin squaring plates. At first, theupper squaring plate is down in contactwith the lower one and hence their noses readily enter the rear open end of the flat carton. Soon after they have entered the cartons the upper plate commences to rise and at the same time swing transversely upon an are having a radius equal to the height of the sides of the carton. The squaring plates continue to advance until the blocks upon which they Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 17, 1921.

1919. Serial No. 306,039.

are mounted engage the rear end of the carton whereupon the finger releases the rear end flap so that the blocks may advance the carton t. a position where its side and end flaps are to be folded. As soon as the carton has arrived at this advanced station, the fingers move from the side and fold the side flaps of the carton, into position parallel with the forward end of the plished, the cam wheel rotates the folding and tucking mechanism out of the way and ejecting mechanism comes into play which slides the finished carton off the operating table into a waiting receptacle. Contributory objects of the invention deal with the various means for producing these different operations. The invention also includes the provision of certain refinements which contribute to the certainty of operation of the machine.

According to a design selected to explain the principle of the invention,--

Figure 1 in the accompanying drawings is a plan View of the complete machine.

,Fig. 2 is a sectional detail taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. This shows principally the mechanism which folds the side flaps into position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1 and shows, among other things, the mechanism for actuating the squaring plates.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary. view in section showing a portion of the slide which transfers the fiat cartons from the magazine to the operating table.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken longitudinally chiefly on the line 5 5, Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the parts shown in the upper portion of Fig. 5. The parts are shown in changed position.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

- erator piles the fiat cartons 5 in theform.

sition and the carton in the Fig. 8 shows a changed position of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. This in full lines shows the carton after it is open or squared. The dotted lines in this figure show the carton advanced to the folding station ready to have the flaps folded.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8, .but showing the squaring plates and pusher blocks in their extreme forward poposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 10-10, Fig. 6,.and showing the squaring plates and their supporting blocks in the position they occupy when the carton is startlng to open or becomes squared.

Fig. 11 shows a changed position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a perspective ,view showing the cam wheel and associated parts.

I Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of someof the parts shown in Fig. 12, particularly the first folding cam and the anvil with which it cooperates, and the advanced portion of the grooved tucker cam.

Figs. 14 and 15 are sectional details illustrating the progress of the end flap as it moves home to final position.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a portion of the ejecting mechanism as well as other adjacent parts of the machine.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of ton after it has been set up.

Like numerals denote like parts throughout the severalviews.

the car- In the form shown, the machine has a mounted an operating table 3. At a conven-' ient point at one side of the operating table is a magazine or hopper 4 in which the opin which they are delivered by the manufac" turer. The magazine is open at the bottom and the pile rests upon a slide 6. This slide, as shown in detail in Fig. 4 has a depressed portion 7 with a pocket 8 for receivlng the extra thickness of material at one side of the carton. The slide also has a raised portion 9 which forms a cut-off.- The action is such that as the slide reciprocates back.

and forth it will deliver, each time, the bot tom one of the pile of cartons.

The slide reciprocates in guides 10 and is actuated by a lever 12 best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This lever is fulcrumed at its lower end'upon a stationary rod 14 and is rigidly fastened upon the main shaft '23, said cam engaging an tLIllZl-fllCtIOIl roller 25 guided by the main shaft 23.

one face of rod 33 is an antifriction roller 43,- the latter being shown in Fig. 5.

mounted upon the s ide of a forked link 26. The said link is pivoted to lever 12, by means of a pin 27. The branches of this link re-' that if a carton jams in the magazine or in the slide 6 at the bottom of it, it will not be crushed because the pressure of the slide against it will be only that produced by the counterweight 20. It may be said therefore that the movement of the slide in the delivering direction'will not be positive but will be yielding and the only positive movement will be in the return direction under the influence of the cam 22, As the cam surface recedes, the roller 25 is kept in contact with it only through the action of gravity upon counterweight 20'.

As soonas the flat carton has been delivered onto the operating table .with its forvation in Figs. 5, 6 and 8; Said'finger. is

formed at the upper end of a vertically re-- ciproca'ting rod 33, a face view-of which is shown in Fig. 3. T his'rod is bifurcated at its lower end to slidingly enga e and be ounted on 3:) which works within the track 36 of a shrouded cam'37 rigidly fastened to shaft 23. When the cam rotates itmoves the finger up and down'in "proper: timed relation, the camhaving. a suitable dwell to hold the. finger shown 1n acting posltion when the carton 1s belng squared and ianother dwell to hold the finger up when the carton is being moved forward and a fresh one is being delivered onto the table.

.The main shaft previously mentioned is located approximately in-the median vertical plane of the machine and is driven,

according to the present design, by a gear wheel 40 shown in dotted lines in. Fig.1.

This gear wheel meshes with a pinion 42' secured to the'shaft of an electric motor Itwill be understood, however, that ower'may be derived from any other suitahle source.

As stated, the carton arrives on theopcrating table in the flat and upon its arrival is held by gage strip 30 and thefinger 32. It is 'now ready to be .squared,

. andthisis accomplished-by means of two squaring plates 45, 46. These are shown in top plan view in Figs. 1 and 7 and in perspective in Fi s. 12 and 16. The up 'er plate 46 is fastened to the bottom .of a lock 47 while the lower one is fastened to the bottom of a block 48. The block 48 is fastened at the forward end ofa slide 50 which reciprocates longitudinally and is held between guides 51, 51 and plates 52, 52 as shown in cross-sectional detail in Fig. 3. The mechanism for reciprocating the slide 50 is shown in Figs. 3, and elsewhere and consists of a lever 54, the bifurcated upper end of which upon the cylindrical surface of a drum 59 rigidly fastened to countershaft 60. Said countershaft is arallel to the main shaft 23.

and is driven y a gear wheel 61 which meshes with the gear wheel previously mentioned. The cam groove is so formed as to reciprocate the slide 50 in timed relation with other parts of the mechanism as elsewhere herein appears. I

The squaring plates and 46 are preferably rounded and thinned at their forward ends to facilitate their entrance into the rear end of the carton and this action is rendered especially sure by reason of the fact that the finger 32 holds the rear edge of the end flap down below the level of the bottom of the lower plate 4.5 as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In other words, the end flap is held in a slanting position by the finger so that the end flap itself tends to guide the squaring plates safely into the end of the carton.-

,Asstated, when the squaring plates first enter the carton the upper one is down incontact with the lower one, although it is off-set (in the present case toward the left looking in the direction of the progress of the carton through the machine). After the noses of the squaring plates have entered the carton, the u per plate commences to swing upward an toward the right, which causes the top of the box to rise and swing over toward the ri ht so as to lie squarely above the bottom 0 the carton. The mechanism. for accomplishing this upward and sidewise swing of the 11 per plate is shown, among other places, in.' igs. 1 and 5 tell. Block 47 is supported'upon a stud 63 which passes through an arcuate slot 64 in block 48 to the end of a crank arm 65 fastened at the forward end of a rock shaft 66. Said rock shaft is journaled in bearings 67, 67 mounted upon slide 50. The shaft is rocked byme'ans of a lever 68 which works within a cam slot 69 formed in a stationary housing 70. The slot is so configurated that during the first portion'of the forward movement of the squaring plates, the said two plates will lie in contact with each other and then after they have entered the carton, the upper plate will swing upward and sidewise and finally the two plates will move forward, with one above the other, to push thecarton forward to advanced position where the side and end fla s will be folded in. It may be said, there ore, that the housing 70 has a cam slot having an actuatin portion preceded and succeeded by a dwe 1 portion.

Figs. 10 and 11 show in detail the mechanism for keeping the upper plate 46 horizontal while it is swinging upward and toward the right. As these views are taken advanced to the folding station by the block 47 which, in addition to its duties in operating the upper plate 46, acts as a. pusher block to advance the carton to the second operating station where the flaps are folded in. Block 47 is shown in engagement with the rear ed e of the carton in Figs. 8 and 9. To steady t e carton while the end flaps are being tucked in, a gage or guide block 75 is provided on the side of the operating table opposite to the strip 30. After the carton has arrived at this advanced position the side flaps 5" of the carton are folded inward byfingers 76, 76, entering transanti-friction rollers 79 which engage two similar but oppositely placed cams 80, 8O rigidly fastened to the main shaft 23. The fingers are held in retracted position by means of a spring 81 which is a tension spring fastened to levers 77 and tends to hold the rollers 79 in contact with their respective cams. These parts are also shown at the right end of Figs. 1 and 5.

The end flap of the carton consists of an inner section 5 and an outer section 5%.,(as shown in Fig. 9 and elsewhere).

By the time that the side flaps have been folded in, the end flap is contacted by a cam wheel 84 which is rigidly fastened to the main shaft 23, and has, among other'things, an arm 85 adapted to coeperate with a cam 86. Arm 85 is arcuate and concentric with the wheel and forms what may be regarded as an anvil for holding the end flap while the cam 86 is folding the outer section 5 downward and backward as illustrated in Fig. 13. It will be understood that ordinarily. the end flap of the carton is creased by the manufacturer to facilitate bending of the outer section 5 relatively to the inner secti n 5. The parts are so (proportioned that anvil 85 engages the insi e of the end fla at the crease. As the cam' wheel revo ves toward the right (Figs. 12 and 13) it brings a cam groove 89 into action, this groove receiving the end flap after the parts 85 and 86 have acted u on it. This groove radually becomes shallower as shown in ig. 12 and is so configurated that the end flap will be gradually pushed into the end of the carton. This action is illustrated progressively in Figs. 14 and 15. It will be noted by referring to Figs. 13 to 15 that the lower s uaring plate 46 at. this time projects under t e lower lip of the grooved tucking cam 89. Consequently the section 5 of the end flap readily slides into osition as it rides on to of the plate. T us the lower squaring p ate also serves as a guide for the advance edge of the end flap when the end flap is being tucked into the end of the carton. It will also be noted, especially by reference to Fig. 14, that while this tucking operation takes place the upper squaring plate 45 serves as a support for the top of the carton.

At the final end of the groved cam 89 is a wiper cam 91 shown in perspective in Fig.

12. This is in the form of a leaf spring and serves to give the end flap of the carton a final push to make certain that it is completely closed before the carton is ejected rom the machine.

After the fiapshave thus been infolded, the carton is e ected by mechanism shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 4 and 16. This mechanism has a dog 93 adapted to engage the rear edge of the top of the carton as shown in Fig. 16, This dog is mounted upon a rock shaft 94 journaled in a hub 95 formed upon a block 96. The dog is constantly urged to acting position by means of a tension spring 98, the lower end of which is fastened to a pin 99 on the block and the upper end to an arm 100 fastened to the rock shaft. Said arm 100 has a stop pin 101 adapted to engage the top of block 96 to limit the movement of the arm and dog. The nose of the dog is cam shaped so that it will ride up over the top of the carton when the latter passes under it. The block 96 is fastened to the top of a sliding bar 105 which travels longitudinally and is reci rocated by the mechanism best shown in igs. 1 and 4. A fork 106 having two branches 107, 107 is fastened to the top of bar 105 and extends to one side of the machine. An anti-friction roller 110 is mounted upon the outer end of an arm 111 which is fastened to the upper end of a vertical shaft 112. Said shaft is rotated by means of a bevel gear 113 meshing with a similar gear 114 fastened to countershaft 60. As the branches of the fork are at some distance apart, it follows that although the shaft 112 rotates uniformly the dog will reciprocate intermittently; and the parts are so timed apparent. The slide 6 delivers the flat cartons one at a time on to the operating table 3, after which the finger 32 engages the rear end flap and holds 1t down in a slanting position so that the'squaring plates 45, 46 will have no difficulty in entering the rear end of the carton. The squarin plates after they have moved forward a s ort distance into the carton commence to square the latter, the upper plate 45 swinging upward and sidewise under the action of the cam slot 69. After the carton has been squared, the advancing block 47 on which the upper squaring plate 45 is mounted engages the rear end of the carton and ushes it to the advanced position, shown in ig. 9. The side fingers 76 then move inward and fold the side flaps inward as shown in Fig. 9. Thereupon the rotating'cam wheel 84 brings the cooperating elements 85, 86 into engagement with the end flaps, bending the outer section 5 downward and backward so it may be received within the cam groove 89. The progress of this groove forces the cam 91 imparts a final touch to it. The continued rotation of the cam wheel then moves the cam 89 out of the way whereupon the ejector dog 93 enga es the top .box and slides it off of t e operating table where it may be caught by any suitable rece tacle.

mm the foregoing it will be evident that the machine is not only entirely automatic in its action, but leaves nothing to chance, for all arts of the carton are manipulated positive y. The component elements of the machine are comparatively simple in form and hence may be made of rugged proportions which renders the machine durable as well as positive acting.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for setting up cartons, the combination of a member adapted to enter one end of the carton and means for moving said member both upward and sidewise for swinging the top of the carton into position above the bottom of the carton.

2..-, In a machine for setting up cartons, the combination of a pair of cooperating members adapted to enter one end of the carton, one of said members being adapted to engage the bottom of the carton and the other of the iio beiupward and sidewise for squaring the carton.

3. In a machine for settlng up cartons,

the combination of an operating table, two

\ the combination of an operating table, a bottionary tom squaring plate adapted to enter one end of the carton and hold the bottom of it down in contact with the operating .table, an upper squaring plate 1 mg on top of the bottom squaring plate, ut laterally offset, and means for causing the upper plate to rise and simultaneously move laterally to a position directly above the bottom plate for squaring the carton.

5. In a machine for setting up cartons, the combination of a squaring plate adapted to enter one end of the carton, and arallel movement mechanism for moving sald plate upward and sidewise and at the same time compellin it to maintain a posltlon parallel to its original position.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5 1n which the parallel movement mechanism includes a pair of pivoted links of equal length, one end of each link havmg a stapivot and the other end of each l nk being plvotally connected to said squarmg plate.

7. In a machine for setting up cartons,

. the combination of a squaring plate adapted to enter one end of the carton, means for guiding 'said squaring plate upward and simultaneously sidewise for squaring the carton, a lever for actuating said plate to produce said upward and ment, a cam for actuating said lever, and

means for producing relative movement between said'cam' and said lever.

8. In a machinev for setting up cartons, the combination of a pair of squaring plates, one adapted to engage the bottom of the ear ton and the other the inside of the-top thereof, means-for advancing said plates to cause them to enter the end of the carton, a lever connected to and traveling forward with the upper squaring plate for. moving the latter upward and sidewiseat the same time that it moves forward, and a stationary cam adapted to actuate said lever as it travels.

9. .In a machine for setting up cartons, the combination of an operating table, means for pushing a flat carton sidewise onto said table means for squaring the said carton, a pair of stationary members rising from the operating table for holding the s uare carton between them while the end aps sidewise moveare being infolded, and means for ushing the carton from its first position on t e table to a position between said members.

10. In a machine for setting up cartons, the combination of an operating table, means for pushing aflat carton sidewise onto said table, a squaring plate adapted to enter the rear end of the carton, means for moving said squaring plate upward and sidewise for squaring the carton, holding members for engaging the sides of the carton after it has been squared to steady it while the end flaps are being infolded, and a pusher for advancing the carton into a position between said holding members.

11. A structure as specified in claim 10 in which the squaring plate is fastened to the pusher.

12. In a machine for-setting up cartons, means for holding the carton, and two 00- operating elements adapted to move transversely to the carton and adapted to engage the end flap between them for bending it along a transverse line intermediate the ends thereof.

13. In a machine forsetting up cartons, an anvil for supporting the end flap of the carton between its ends, and a cam cooperatlng with said anvil for bending the outer section of the end fiap around said anvil.

14. In a machine for setting up cartons, means for holding the carton, an anvil movable transversely to the carton and adapted to support the end flap thereof at a point between its ends, and a cam adapted to engage the outer section of the end flap to bend it around said anvil.

15. In a machine for setting up cartons, means for holding the carton, and a cam wheel rotating in a plate at right angles to the plane'of the carton, said cam wheel having a concentric element adapted to support the end flap of the carton between its ends and a cam adapted toengage the end flap near the end for bending it around said concentric element.

16. In a machine for settingv up cartons,

means for holding the squared carton, and a of the carton.

18. In a machine for setting up cartons,

an operating table, means for holding the squared carton thereon, a wheel rotating in a vertical lane transverse to the operatingv table and avin an anvil for supporting the end flap of t e carton between its ends,

said wheel having a cam cooperating with said anvil for bendin the end fla around it, and a grooved tuc 'ng cam a apte d to receive the-bent end flap prior to its disengagement from the first mentioned cam.

19. In. a machine for settmg up cartons, means for infolding the end fla of the carton, and a cam adapted to sli e across the end flap transversely to the carton for finally positioning said end flap, said cam being in the form of a leaf spring whereby it is yieldable.

20. In a machine for settin up cartons, an ejector dog having a nose a apted to rest upon the top of the carton means for retracting the dog to permit the nose to drop down over the rear edge of the carton for engaging it, said means being also adapted to thereupon move the dog forward for ejectin the carton.

21. n a machine for setting up cartons, the combination of means for s uaring the carton, means for infolding the side and end flaps thereof, and a reciprocating dog traveling lengthwise of the carton, said dog having a cam shaped nose adapted to cause it to ascend to the top of the carton and over- .ride the same when travelin ward direction and the dog Eaving a tooth adapted to engage the rear edge of the top of the carton when moving in the forward direction for ejecting the carton.

22. In a machine for setting up cartons, an operating table having two operating stations one in line with the other considered longitudinally of the carton, squaring means operative at the first operating station for squaring the carton, means for advancing the squared carton longitudinally to the second operating station, and means operative at the second station for infolding the side and end flaps of the carton.

23. In a machine for setting up cartons, an operating table having two operating stations, squaring means operative at the first operating station for squaring the carton, means for advancing the squared carton to the second operating station, and means operative at the second station for infolding the side and end flaps of the carton, the squaring means including two plates movable vertically with respect to each other.

24. In a machine for setting up cartons,

. an operating table having two operating stations, squaring means operative at the first operatingstation for squaring the carton,

means for advancing the squared carton to the second operating station, and means operative at the second station for infolding in the backthe side and end flaps of the carton, the

respect to each other, the means for advancing the s uared carton forming the support for one o the plates.

25. In a machine for setting up cartons, an operating table having two operating stations in line with each other, lengthwise of the carton, squaring means adapted to engage the carton when the latter is in the first operating station for squarin it, a pusher for advancing the carton ongitudinally from the first operating station to the second operating station, and means operative at the second operating station for infolding the side and end fiaps of the carton, said pusher being adapted to back up the carton during the action of the infolding means.

, 26. A structure as specified in claim 25 in which two guide members are located at the sides of the table at the second operating station for preventing sidewise movement of the carton during the infolding operation.

27. In a machine for setting up cartons, a plate adapted to be inserted from the rear end of the carton for holding down the bottom thereof, means for squaring the carton, and a grooved cam adapted to engage the end flap at the forward end of the carton for infolding it, said cam having a lip adapted to overlie the forward edge of the plate to thereby insure the entrance of the outer edge of the end flap into the carton (see Fig. 14).

28. A structure as specified in claim 27 in which the grooved cam rotates in a plane perperiiilicular to the length of the carton.

29. in which the means for squaring the carton consists principally of a second plate initially in contact with the first mentioned plate, said second plate being adapted to move both vertically and laterally for squarstructure as specified in claim 27 

